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Wildfires 2011

Spring has arrived across the U.S., and with it comes brightly blooming flowers, chirping birds and longer, hotter days. But spring also heralds the beginning of the wildfire season, when warm weather and dry conditions leave America's forests and grasslands at risk of going up in flames. The climate has a significant influence on America's wildfires. Wet conditions in the winter can promote plant growth that can fuel a fire, and an earlier spring and hotter summer may nurture a longer wildfire season.

Wildfires have always burned in the American West, and they are part of the natural cycle in healthy forests. But in recent decades, the number of wildfires has been increasing, and scientists say that this is related to the ongoing drought in the Southwest and long-term climate changes happening across the West. The stories, videos, and graphics here illustrate some wildfire impacts and investigate the science behind big blazes.